Skirt and method of making skirts



April 27, 1954 A. M. KAY 2,676,326

SKIRT AND METHOD OF MAKING SKIRTS Filed Feb. 15, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fig-i i8 INVENTOR I Ann-Hula M. Vmv

April 27, 19 A. M. KAY

SKIRT AND METHOD OF MAKING SKIRTS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 15, 1952 INVENTOR 38 I ARTHUR. M. KAY

ATTORNEYS April 27, 1954 A. M. KAY 2,676,326

SKIRT AND METHOD OF MAKING SKIRTS Filed Feb. 15, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. ARTHUR M- KAY another modification;

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t another modification; and

Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITED STATE PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to skirts, and more particularly to a pieced skirt comprising a plurality of connected fabric segments.

One important object of the present invention is; to provide a skirt falling within the general category referred to that can be readily fashioned from a plurality of either identical or unidentical simply designed segments, thus to permit all of said segments to be cut simultaneously fromsuperposed pieces of fabric.

Another important object is to provide a skirt as stated so designed as to permit the several segments to be stitched to one another speedily and easily. I Yet another important object is to provide a. "skirt of the typestated so designedas to permit a full skirt of the pleated, folded, gathered or plain type to be formed swiftly from a number or like or unlike, simply cut fabric members.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like referehce characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a skirt formed in accordance with the present invention, as it appears when being worn; I

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a completed skirt;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the several segments as they appear in blank prior to being stitched together to form the end product; m

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the upper portion of the skirt, showing slide fastener means for securing the skirt about the waist of a wearer;

. Figure 5 is an enlarged, detail, sectional view taken on line 5+5 of Figure 2 illustrating the means whereby the contiguous segments are se- -cured to one another;

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken online 6-6 of Figure 2, showing the arrangement whereby I attach the skirt portion to the waistband;

Figure 7 is similar fiedform; Figurespis a view similar to Figure 1, showing Figure 3, showing a modiof a completed skirt illustrated in Figure 8;

Figure 9 is a side view formed from the segments Figure 10 is a plan of a'blank from which the modified form of skirt are segments of another Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 9, showing kirt made from the segments of Figure Figureli), showing fi ilsure v 2 sa v ewsim l r to skirt which I have designed "to mass production methods.

v:theline 16, so as to Figure 13 is a view similar to Figure 9, showing a skirt made from the segments of Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral I G has general application to a waistband connected to the upper end of a skirt portion, generally designated I2, said waistband and skirt portion cooperating to form the com.- pleted skirt.

Referring to Figure 3, a rectangular piece of material from which the several segments that make up the completed skirt is cut appears in dotted lines, and has been designated l4. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, four fabric segments and a Waistband are cut from said piece of material. It should be noted at this point, however, that more or less segments can be used, if desired, four being illustrated in Figure 3 merely to show one presently preferred embodiment of the invention.

Considering first the formation of the waistband I0, this is fashioned from an elongated, rectangular piece of material folded longitudinally and centrally upon itself, as at l8.

Thewaistband, it should be noted, can be of any desired type, that is, it can be folded, pleated, gathered, elasticized, or plain.

The several fabric members cooperating to form the completed skirt have been designated l8, and are of identical dimensions and shape, thus to permit their being cut simultaneously from superposed pieces of material, if desired. Thus, the lends itself readily Since all the fabric members i 8 are of identical formation, one only will be described. This is formed as a segment or sector of a ring having an arcuate bottom edge 25 extending through of a circle, and an arcuate top edge 22 concentrio with the bottom edge and also extending through 180 of a circle. The opposite side edges of the sector are designated 2d, and are of straight formation, said side edges being aligned longitudinally with one another when the sector is in blank, and extending between the'respective ends of the top and bottom edges 22, 20, respectively. The side edges-24 are preferably formed with seams orhems'2'5.

In forming the completed skirt, the several sectors I 8 are pleated, folded or gathered radially, as at 28, and have their respective side edges as connected to the adjacent side edges of contiguous sectors by lines of stitching 30. Thereafter, the-waistband i I] is folded upon it'self'along be given an inverted, U- shaped, cross-sectional configuration (Figurefi). .The waistband is then positioned over the top of the skirt. .These changes are ing of the 3 edges of the connected segments so as tostraddle the same, and is secured to the connected segments by lines of stitching 32.

One of the lines of stitching 39 terminates short of the waistband it, so as to permit slide fastener elements 3 to be applied to the contiguous side edges of a pair of the segments, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. Then, to secure the waistband-about the waist of the wearer, gripper fastener elements 36 are applied to the opposite ends of the waistband. It will be understood that other forms of fastener elements can be utilized, if desired.

With respect to the openings of the skirt, the use of an elastic or gathered waistband can eliminate an opening, and, therefore, the openings should be covered, to be closed either with slide fasteners, buttons, snaps, hooks and eyes,or gussets. A bellows gusset, if used, could be closed with any of the'several types of fastenerslisted.

It is to be noted that the four scctorsillus trated in Figure 3, when in blank, extend through a distance suiiicient to form two circles. However, the pleating, folding or gathering of the segments halves the distance-between the side edges of each sector, and also halves the length of the top and bottom edges 22, 2%) ofeach sector. As aresult, when the several sectors are-stitched to one another, they will extend through.360 of a circle, as may be readilynoted by'reference to Figure 2.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 7, there is illustrated an arrangement wherein eight segments or sectors are used rather than four. In this instance, each sector 38 extends through 90, having an'arcuate bottom edgeAll concentric with an arcuate top edge-42. As in the first form of the invention, each-sector 38 has radial, straight side edges 44.

In forming the skirt illustrated in blank in Figure '7, the identical sectors 38 are pleated, folded, or gathered -'n the manner referred to hereinabove to halve their size,:after which the side edges thereof are stitched to one another. and a waistband l applied as in the first form of the invention.

In some instances, it may be desired to form a slit skirt, in which event-a part tor all of :one or more of the lines of stitching 33 may be omitted.

Further, the outer or bottom portion of the skirt illustrated in Figure 2 might be a piece of material separate from the inner'or topportion believed to be sufficiently obvious as not to require special illustration, andare mentioned merelytoshow other arrangements not departing .from the spirit of the invention as'claimed.

It may be noted'that although the connectseveral sectors illustrated in Figures 3 and '7 will cause the outer edges thereof to extend through 360 of a circle, this fact-per se is not the critical feature of the invention,-and has been brought out hereinbefore merely to show howithecompleted skirt will appear when the sectors are connected to one another. "It is a characteristic of conventionally formed skirts, in fact, that the bottom edge would define a circle of 350 if the conventional skirt Was placed upon a form and viewed'irom below. The essence of theinvention, it should be emphasized, lies in the use :of particularly .formed sectors which, when connected-to oneanother, will form a full, piecedskirt.

In Figureethere illustratedaimodified form 5B of the sectors 54 are also .a waistband l0, such as pleted skirt. Thus, the

the segment 10 having 4 of the invention, wherein I provide four sectors 46, each of which extends through 90, each sector having radial, straight side edges it disposed at right angles to one another and out along the straight of the material or fabric, an arcuate bottom edge 56, and an arcuate top edge 52 concentric with said bottom edge.

This particular pattern also includes four relatively narrowisegments 54 of less than ninety degrees and having arcuate bottom edges 56 concentric with arcuate top edges 58. The side edges straight and radially arranged, but .-are.disposed at acute angles to one another and cut on a bias.

Thewsectors 46, 54 can be connected together to. form a skirt, as illustrated in Figure 9, said sectors being stitched along their top edges to has been herebefore illustrated and described. Said Waistband can, of. course, be of any'desiredtype.

The completed skirt-illustrated in Figure 9 has been generally designated 32, and has a full sweep such asthatobtainedin using the pattern illustrated in Figure '7. However, the completed skirt willdifier from that illustrated in Figure 2, for example, .in that the radial gathers ts thereof will extend upwardly from the bottom edge of the skirt, but may-terminate short of the waistband, so :as to leave .aplain portion iifi extending about theupper portion'of the skirt below the-waistband, if so desired.

.Also, it will be apparent-from that the segments d6 Figures 8 and 9 will be alternated with the .narrower segments 54 in producingthe completed garment so thatthe longitudinal edges of the larger segments 46 which are cut on the straight of the material or fabric will be joined to the adjoining longitudinal edge of the adjacent narrower segment 54 in which the longitudinal edge has been cut onthe' bias.

.In this connection, the particular cuts illustrated in Figure 8 can be changed, with the larger sectors 46 being divided into several pieces,

iii desired. The narrowsectors fi l, additionally, can beindividually divided or even enlarged.

In Figure 10 I have 'illustrateda blank from which a .pluralityof elongated, rectangular sectors58, 18,12 can'be out, together with a waistband 10. These sectors are cut along their respective longitudinal edges, and are used in forming a skirt illustratedin Figure 11.

The skirt of Figure 11 is-made in three tiers or flounces, but itwill bereadily appreciated that it can be made in a fewer number of tiers, or

. .more tiers, if desired. Each of the rectangular segmentsisgatheredthroughout its length, and .is secured to the contiguous, longitudinal edge of the tier next above, so as to form the comcompleted skirt is of the tiered'type, the segments-68 having gathers 8 1,

gathers 85, and the segment 12 having gathers 88 extending fully to the waistband Ill.

In Figure 12 there is illustrated a blank or patternfrom which segments M, 16 andld are cut to be used in the manufactureof a skirt illustrated in Figure 13. The .segment is and the segment '16 are of elongated, rectangular configuration, the :segment 14 being appreciably longer thanthe'segment .16. A waistband Hi can be cut from the same piece of material, if desired.

The uppermost segment '18, *as' will be readily noted from "Figure "12, 'has an arcuate botton edge extending through'180" of a circle, ant

*acvaeze an arcuate top edge 82 also extending'through 180, and arranged concentrically to the bottom edge. 7 a

a The use of an arcuate segment [8 permits a tiered skirt to be manufactured, wherein the lowermost tier 14 has gathers 90, and the middle tier 76 has gathers-92. The uppermost tier, however, is plain.

It is understood, of course, that the waistband can be gathered, plain or of some other desired type in any of the forms illustrated in the several figures of the drawings.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there is also illustrated and described a method of making a pieced skirt which includes cutting from an elongated rectangular blank of material along each of the opposite sides of a longitudinal center line a pair of spaced major sectors 46, in the case of the form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9, of 90 degrees each and cutting a pair of minor sectors 54 of less than 90 degrees each with the upper and lower arcuate edges of each of the sectors cut concentrically from the area between the spaced major sectors, spacing the inner radial edges 48 of the major sectors 46 from the longitudinal center line of said blank, cuttin from the longitudinal centhe sectors 54, of a circle of less than 90 degrees with upper and lower arcuate edges out concentrically, alternatingly sewin the radial edges of the major sectors together with the radial edges 60 of the minor secsecuring the inner arcuate edges to the waistband to form a skirt. Or, as hereinbefore specifically pointed out, the waistband will be folded longitudinally at its center line and secured to the adjoined inner arcuate edges of the sectors so as to extend upon either side thereof so that the waistband is folded over to conceal the gather, with the gathers formed in the upper arcuate edges of the sectors and thereby making the garment more comfortable upon the body of the wearer.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor

6 is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor changes in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claimsi Thus, the skirt might be formed as a part of a complete dress. Then,

again, in some instances, the waistband'might be eliminated, andin still another instance, the skirt might be formed from smaller segments than those illustrated.

What is claimed is:

l. A pieced skirt comprising four fabric members formed as a sector of a ring and having concentric top and through ninety degrees of a circle and with the longitudinal edges thereof cut on the straight of the fabric, four additional fabric members formed as sectors of a ring having concentric top and bottom edges extending through less than ninety degrees of a circle and with the longitudinal edges thereof cut on a bias, said fabric members and said additional fabric members being secured together in alternating relation to have a straight out longitudinal edge adjoining a bias out longitudinal edge, each of said members and said additional members having pleats which reduce the distance through which said top and bottom edges extend so that when joined they will extend through three-hundred and sixty degrees of a circle in a fiat surface, and a waist band folded along its longitudinal center line secured over said top edges of said members and said additional members.

2. A method of making a pieced skirt which including cutting from an elongated rectangular blank of material along opposite sides of the longitudinal center line sectors of a circle totalling one-hundred and eighty degrees in each side of the material with the upper and lower arcuate edges out concentrically in each sector, spacing the inner adjacent radial edges of each sector from and adjacent the longitudinal center line cutting from the area of material between said inner radial edges an elongated rectangular piece to define a waist band, cutting from said blank additional sectors having the same radii as first mentioned sectors with their upper and lower arcuate edges of the same angular extent and in concentric relation, sewing the adjoining radial edges of said sectors together, gathering each of said sectors, and securing the inner arcuate edges to said Waist band to form a skirt.

3. A method of making a pieced skirt which includes cutting from a rectangular blank along each of the opposite sides of a longitudinal center line a pair of spaced major sectors of a circle of degrees each and cutting a pair of minor sectors of less than 90 degrees each with the upper and lower arcuate edges of each of the sectors cut concentrically from the area between the spaced major sectors, spacing the inner radial edges of the major sectors from the longitudinal center line of said blank, cutting from the longi tudinal central area of the material between said inner radial edges an elongated rectangular piece defining a waistband and an additional pair of minor sectors of a circle of less than 90 degrees with upper and lower arcuate edges 'cut concentrically, alternatingly sewing the radial edges of the major sectors together with the radial edges of the minor sectors, gathering each of said sectors and. folding said waistband along its 1011- gitudinal center line and securing it in its folded position over the inner arcuate edges of said sectors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 10 Simplicity 8 Name Date Juda Oct. 11, 1913 Muench June 12, 1928 Horblit 2 Mar. 25, 1941 Kremer Oct. 2'7, 1942 Larison Feb. 29, 1944 Baldrica Dec. 5, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES Pattern B00k-Pattern #3569, May

1951--page 164. 

